Climber hospitalized after McKinley fall

Posted: Wednesday, May 17, 2000

ANCHORAGE (AP) -- An Austrian climber was in stable condition at an Anchorage hospital Wednesday after falling 800 feet on Mount McKinley.

The National Park Service said Christoph Haider, 24, had reached the summit of McKinley at 20,320 feet and was descending on the West Buttress of the mountain at the 16,000-foot level Tuesday night when he fell.

Haider was thought to have suffered a broken leg, broken nose and head injuries, park officials said.

It was not clear why he fell. The sky was clear and winds were calm at the time of the incident. Haider had been climbing with a six-member team.

Haider was flown off the mountain by the Park Service's high-altitude helicopter and transferred to a waiting medical helicopter in Talkeetna.

There are currently about 335 climbers on the mountain, park service officials said.